Closure for cartons



Sept. 14, 1937.

1-:. J. BoNNER 2,093,143

CLOSURE FOR CARTONS Filed Aug. 22, 1936 '2 SheetS-Sheet l Er zi Patented Sept. 14, 1937 UNITED. sTATEs PATENT OFFICE CLOSURE FOR CARTONS Elmore J. Bonner, Memphis, Tenn.

Application August 22, 1936, Serial No. 97,458

7 Claims.

This invention relates to the class of material containers or cartons and particularly to improvements in closures therefor.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide an improved dispensing means and closure for cartons, particularly those of the type employed for packaging groceries such as sugar, cereal, corn fiakes, or similar substances, or materials of the nature of soap flakes, soap powders, etc., where the use is made of the regular fiap portions of the carton in the formation of the dispensing opening and the means whereby the same may be covered or uncovered.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a carton structure a material dispensing opening having a sliding cut-ofi whereby the contents may be readily dispensed and whereby the dispensing opening may be tightly closed to prevent the entrance of contaminating substances.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, with the understanding, however, that the invention -is not confined to any strict conformity with the showing of the drawings but may be changed or modified so long as such changes or modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in plan of one end of the carton blank showing the manner of forming the improved dispensing opening and shut-off means therefor, the figure including the shut-off slide.

Fig. 2 is a view in perspective of a carton showing the end flaps partly folded in the process of assembling the device.

Fig. 3 is a view in plan of the nature of the carton illustrated in Fig. 2, but showing an additional step in the formation of the same.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but showing the next step in assembling the device which comprises the placing of the cut-off slide in position.

Fig. 5 is a view in end elevation of the folded structure showing the slide drawn out to uncover the dispensing opening, a portion of the outer flap being broken away to show the relation of the slide with the other parts.

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is an end view similar to Fig. 5, but illustrating the use of the tear-out portions in the dispensing opening and the opening provided for engaging the finger with the slide.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings wherein like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the specification, the numeral I generally designates an end of a box or carton constructed in accordance with `5 the present invention, the .numerals 2 and 3 designating the side walls and the numerals 4 and 5 sdesignating the edge walls. At the ends of the side and edge walls are thevusual carton flaps which under normal conditions are imper- 10 forate and are folded in one over the other to form the end wall of the carton, these'flaps being designated by the numerals 6, 1, 8 and 9.

In carrying out the present invention, one of the flaps which is to lie upon the outside of the end of the box carton, for example the fiap 6, is provided With a rectangular opening or an opening of any other desired configuration, as indicated at Ill. This opening is made adjacent one end of the fiap and at the opposite end a recess is cut in the edge of the flap. The fiap fl is provided with an opening or recess |2 which is designed to co-operate with the recess IO and is of the same width.

The fiap 8 has an elongated recess-cut therein as indicated at |3, from the end remotefromthe fiap 1. This end recess has one side straight throughout while the other side has .an offset adjacent the open end of the recess forming the shoulder M, andfrom this shoulder to the open end of the recess the recess is of less width than from the shoulder to the opposite end. The material cut out in forming the elongated recess |3 is employed for the shut-off slide, and is indicated by the numeral |5. This slide through a portion of its length from one end is of a width equal to the greatest width of the recess` |3 and through the remainder of its length it is of a width equal to the narrowest portion of the recess l3 so that there is formed a stop shoulder at one side of the slide, as indicated at-I6. The portion of the slide of lesser width is materially longer than the portion of the recess l3, which is of narrowest width, and the entire or over-all length of the slide is equal to the over-all length of the recess |3. Thus it will be apparent that when the slide |5 is disposed in the recess |3, there will be an open space between the Shoulders |4 and |6 as indicated by the numeral |'l of Fig. 4.

The fiap 9 remains unchanged in that it is not cut but it is provided along each side edge upon the top surface with an application of adhesive, as indicated by the numeral |8. i

The slide |5 and consequently the recessl 3, is; 55

of a width greater than the width of the dispensing opening I and the recess 12, while the top surface of the intermediate fiap 8 is provided with a coating of adhesive, as indicated at |9. The top surface of the fiap l is provided upon its top surface with a narrow band of adhesive which extends inwardly from the side edges and from the inner edge fold line as indicated at 20. The top surface of the fiap 'l has a portion uncovered by the adhesive which is of a width equal to the width of the slide I5 and this uncovered portion extends also across the inner end of the recess 12.

In assembling the box or carton constructed in.

accordance with the present invention, the four side walls are arranged so that the edge lfiap 2| which forms an integral part of the long outer edge of the side wall 2 can be brought into abutting relation with th-e inner side of the edge Wall 5 to form the carton in the usual rectangular outline. The end fiaps 'I and 9 which are at the ends of the endge walls 4 and 5 respectively are then turned in, as illustratedV in Fig. 2. The adhesive surfaces |8 and 20 of these end fiaps are then moistened and the intermediate fiap 8 is then folded in, as illustrated in Fig. 3.

The next step in the forming of the dispensing end wall structure of the carton comprises placing the slide |5 in the long recess of the fiap 8 as shown in Fig. v4. It will be noted from Figs. 3 and 4 that portions of the fiap T bordering the recess |2 extend in beyond the side and end edges of the recess |3 thus forming the supporting Shoulders 22 for the innerV end of the slide |5 while the outer end rests upon the central part of the fiap 9. Follow'ing this step the adhesive surface |9 is moistened and the top or outer fiap 6 is then folded down overV the slide giving the final structure, as illustrated in Fig. 5. The slide 15 is provided with a notch or an aperture at the point 23 which will be located in the recess when the slide is moved inwardly in the recess |3 to the point where it completely fills the latter and covers the opening Ill. Since the opening Il) and the recess 12 are in fiaps which are held in spaced relation by the fiap 8 where the recess |3 is of greater width than the recess I2 and the opening Ill, it will be apparent that the inner or forward end of the slide |5 will have its edges slidably held sothat when the opening IO is covered no dust or foreign matter can get past the slide into the carton.

Fig. 6 illustrates this enclosing recess for the edge of the slide |5, the recess being indicated by the numeral 24.` It will also be seen from Figs. 4 and 5 that the outward movement of the slide |5 is limited by the overlapping relation of the shoulders |4 and 16, the shoulder |6 striking the shoulder I 4 when the slide is pulled out so as to stop it at the point where its forward edge will be in a line with the nearest transverse edge of the opening IO. i

Fig. 7 illustrates a slightly modified form of the dispensing structure of the carton. In this figure the outer or top fiap corresponding to the fiap 6, is indicated by the numeral 25, and the dispensing opening as l,well asthe recess provided to facilitate engaging the end of the slide, are merely outlined by the perforations 26 and 21. When the carton is to be opened, the portions lying within the perforated areas can be removed by merely breaking the parts of the paper between the perforations so that the central part of the flap can be removed, thus giving a structure like that illustrated in Fig. 5.

From the foregoing it will be raclily apparent that in addition to providing a novel dispensing means for a carton and means for effectively closing the same, an economical method has been devised whereby this desirable structure may be obtained without necessitating the use of any additional carton material. Use is made entirely of the parts which Would go into the construction of the box if it were made in the usual way with the four fiaps arranged in overlapping relation to form Vthe box end wall.

What is claimed, is: z

1. In a box or carton, an end wall comprising an inturned fiap and a second fiap lying therebeneath, said first fiap having means for dispensing material therethru, said second fiap having a recess cutl thereinto from and opening through one edge and extending thru the major extent of the fiap toward the other edge whereby the said dispensing means overlies the inner end of the recess, a shut-off slide lying in said recess and having limited movement longitudinally therein to cover or uncover said dispensing means, and means by which the slide is maintained in the recess in the plane of the second fiap.

2. In a box or carton, an end wall comprising two inturned fiaps lying one over the other, the outer one of said fiaps having a dispensing opening, the inner one of said flaps having an elongated strip removed from the central portion thereof and extending through one edge, said removed portion constituting a shut-off for said dispensing opening, and means associated with the second mentioned fiap for maintaining the removed strip of material in sliding relation with the fiap from which it was removed whereby it may be moved into covering or uncovering relation withv the dispensing opening.

3. In a box'or carton, an end wall comprising two inturned fiaps arrahged in superimposed relation, the outer one of said fiaps having a material discharging opening, the inner one of the fiaps having an elongated recess cut thereinto from and opening thru one edge, said recess extending beyond the dispensing opening of the upper fiap,

a shut-off slide disposed in said recess and constantly maintained throughout its length in the plane of the inner fiap, means for retaining the slide in position in the recess and permitting its longitudinal movement, the slide when shifted in one direction having an end extending outwardly beyond the side edge of the second-mentioned fiap, and means forming a stop for limiting the outward movement of the slide relative to the discharge opening.

4. In a box or carton, an end wall comprising two inturned fiaps arranged in superimposed relation, the outer one of said flaps having a material discharging opening, the inner one of the fiaps having an elongated recess cut thereinto from one edge, said recess extending beyond the dispensing opening of the upper fiap, a shut-off slide disposed in said recess in the plane of the inner lflap, means for retaining the slide in position in the recess and' permitting its longitudinal movement, the slide when shifted in one direction having an end extending outwardlygbeyond said edge of the second-mentioned fiap, said recess adjacent theV open end thereof being of reduced width through a portion of its length whereby an inwardly extending Vshoulder is formed in one longitudinal edge, and said slide being of a reduced widththrough a portion of its length to position in the portion of reduced width of the recess, the reduced portion of the slide forming with the wider portion thereof a Vstop shoulder designed to co-act with the stop shoulder in the edge of the recess to limit the movement of the slide.

5. In a box or carton, an end wall consisting of two inturned flaps disposed in a common plane and two fiaps arranged in superimposed relation over the first-mentioned fiaps, one of said firstmentioned fiaps and the outer one of the superimposed fiaps having coinciding material-discharging openings, the inner one of the superimposed flaps having an elongated reces's therein which opens through an edge of the flap remote from said openings, said recess being of slightly greater width than the openings and extending slightly beyond the side of the openings remote from the open end of the recess, and a slide body disposed in said recess between the outer one of the superimposed fiaps and the two first-mentioned flaps, the said slide body being coplanar with the recessed fiap and of a width greater than said coinciding openings from the end adjacent the openings through an extent lengthwise of the slide sufiicient to completely cover the openings when the slide is shifted to the limit of its movement in the recess toward the closed end thereof.

6. In a box or carton, an end wall consisting of two inturned fiaps disposed in a common plane and two flaps arranged in superimposed relation over the first mentioned flaps, one of said firstmentioned flaps and the outer one of the superimposed flaps having coinciding material-discharging openings, the inner one of the superimposed fiaps having an elongated recess therein which opens through an edge of the flap remote from said openings, said recess being of slightly greater width than the openings and extending slightly beyond the side of the openings remote from the open end of the recess, a slide body disposed in said recess between the outer one of the superimposed fiaps and the two first-mentioned fiaps, the said slide body being coplanar with the recessed fiap and of a width greater than said coinciding openings from the end adjacent the openings through an extent lengthwise of the slide sufficient to completely cover the openings when the slide is shifted to the limit of its movement in the recess toward the closed end thereof, and means facilitating the engagement by a finger of the end of the slide remote from the dispensing openings whereby the slide may be shifted longitudinally to uncover said openings the slide being retained fiat throughout its length and in coplanar relation with the recessed flap by the two first-mentioned fiaps and the outer one of the superposed flaps, the slide being of a width greater than said coinciding openings through a portion of its length from the end adjacent the openings.

7. In a box or carton, an end wall consisting of two inturned flaps disposed in a common plane and two fiaps arranged in superimposed relation over the first-mentioned flaps, one of said first mentioned flaps and the outer one of thev superimposed fiaps having coinciding material-discharging openings, the inner one of the superimposed flaps having an elongated recess therein which opens through an edge of the iiap remote from said openings, said recess being of slightly greater width than the openings and extending slightly beyond the side of the openings remote from the open end of the recess, a slide body disposed in said recess between the outer one of the superimposed flaps and the two first-mentioned flaps, the said slide body being coplanar with the recessed flap and of a width greater than said coinciding openings from the end adjacent the openings through an extent lengthwise of the slide sufiicient to completely cover the openings. when the slide is shifted to the limit of its movement in the recess toward the closed end thereof, and co-acting means between an edge of the slide and the adjacent edge of the recess limiting the longitudinal movement of the slide in one direction relative to the dispensing openings.

ELMORE J. BONNER. 

